• Premier League

Newcastle set to screen players for Ebola

Newcastle's Ivorian midfielder Cheik Tiote has recently played in the Democratic Republic of Congo and his home country © Getty Images

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Newcastle are taking steps to guard against the Ebola outbreak by screening players returning from international duty for the virus.

Ebola, which has swept through west Africa, has already killed more than 4,000 people, leading the British Government to announce a screening programme at key airports and the Eurostar terminus in London.

Newcastle are now following the government's lead by screening African players returning to the north east after the international break.

Newcastle players Papiss Cisse, the Senegal striker, and Ivorian midfielder Cheik Tiote have visited Tunisia and the Democratic Republic of Congo respectively this week, as well as their home countries and manager Alan Pardew admitted that his club would be "naive not to have concerns" about the virus.

"We have a strategy for when they return and making sure they and their families are taken care of," Pardew said. "They're essential to us and our doctor has looked into the problems that might arise and also protection for them, and making sure we do our very best to help them. It's something to be concerned about and we have to be on our guard."

CAF, African football's governing body, has already banned the three countries affected by Ebola - Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone - from playing matches at home, with the Sierra Leonean squad reporting abuse at away games and even being refused entry to foreign hotels because of their association with the outbreak.

The epidemic has caused confusion ahead of next year's African Cup of Nations, with Morocco forced to deny reports that they have withdrawn as hosts of the tournament.

However, they do still want the tournament postponed, forcing a conflict with organiser CAF, which insists the competition, to be held between January 17 and February 8, must go ahead as planned.

With one million spectators expected to travel to Morocco for the tournament, officials are concerned any attempts to contain the virus will become impossible.

South Africa and Ghana are understood to have been approached as possible stand-in hosts if Morocco refuse to go ahead with the tournament on the original dates.

It is not just football officials who are taking precautions against Ebola - NFL organisers in the United States have sent out guidance to all 32 clubs after three cases of the virus were confirmed at a Dallas hospital.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd